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I swallow a large gulp of the porridge and clear my throat. “Zaez, are you okay?”
He glances down the line of cells, worriedly eyeing each of us before he turns back to me and says, “I overheard two crewmembers talking. They said we will be arriving soon at a Kakiav space station in the Eris system. You will be sold there.”
“Sold?” I squeak out.
“Yes, sold at auction.”
“Wait a minute. . . what are the Kakiav?” Down at the other end of the room, Rose speaks up.
“The Kakiav are known as some of the vilest lawbreakers in the Alliance.” A visible shudder goes through the small alien’s body. “They have been banned from many space stations and planets. They earn credits by hosting auctions that facilitate the buying and selling of merchandise that is illegal. Unapproved dark matter weapons that could destroy entire planets, forbidden hallucinogenics, and illegal slaves.”
“What do you mean by illegal slaves? All slaves are illegal.” Mara moves closer to her cell door and grabs hold of the bars.
“Not in the Intergalactic Alliance. Slavery contracts are an acceptable form of employment. My job as a servant on this ship is a legal slave contract. My family was given a small sum of credits for pledging me to the captain’s service. In return, I will work for him for a set number of years before moving on to another servant post. It is standard practice for individuals from lesser families on my planet.” Zaez pauses a moment. “But you are humans and from a different galaxy. Your planet is pre-space flight.”
“We have space flight.” Jayden huffs out a breath of annoyance and rolls her eyes. “We’ve even been to the moon and everything.”
Zaez shakes his head. “You have not made contact with other sentient lifeforms in space. You are a Class Two planet. Intergalactic Alliance laws prohibit unsanctioned contact with Class Two planets. With humans. It is forbidden.”
Crystal snorts. “Well, someone should have told your buddies that.”
“Many Zyfeliks value wealth above all else, even the law.” Zaez hangs his large head as if he is saddened. “Since it is forbidden to contact Class Two species, they also cannot enter into legal slave contracts. I overheard the crewmembers say that you will be auctioned off to the highest bidders once we reach the Kakiav station.”
Shit, I really don’t like the sound of that. What sort of buyers would frequent an illegal slave auction? Not anyone I want to meet. But at this point, what can I do? The girls and I have discussed trying to escape, but there’s nowhere to go. We’re in freaking space. If we managed to overpower the crew we wouldn’t be able to fly the ship.
So, what are my options? Wait to be auctioned off and hope that I’m sold to a kindly elderly person who just wants a companion to talk to. Somehow, I doubt that’s going to happen.
Rose’s voice rings out from the other end of the room. “Zaez, how long do we have until we reach the auction?”
“Four days.”
His words send a shiver down my spine. In the cell next to me, I can hear Emily sobbing as Zaez slowly shuffles away to his duties, but I’m too distracted by my thoughts to comfort her.
Four days until everything changes, and once again not for the better. Shit.
Chapter 2
Haley
Two days have passed since Zaez told us that our destination is a slave auction.
An illegal slave auction because apparently there is an important distinction. It has not been an easy two days. My nerves feel like they’re pulled to the breaking point. I’d give anything to see Earth again, but realistically, I know that will most likely never happen.
An air of hopelessness has descended over the cargo bay that feels like it’s going to steal the breath from my lungs. The others have been quiet for the most part, and I think we’re all still trying to process this latest turn of events.
My next-door cell mate, Emily, sobbed off and on for hours after Zaez left. Now, based on the lack of sounds coming from her cell, I think she might be sleeping. I don’t know what to say to comfort her. Hell, I don’t even know what to say to myself.
It’s breakfast time again. Yesterday, our meals were switched up to something a little more substantial, although it was still just as unappetizing. Today, we’re having a big bowl of slimy gray noodles covered in a green sauce that tastes like warm yogurt. Yum.
Crystal suggested our abductors could be trying to fatten us up because we might be sold to aliens that consider humans a delicacy, but my mind shies away from that thought.
Fucking hell, please don’t let us be like the alien version of filet mignon.
I force myself to eat as much of the yogurt noodles as I can stand because I’m going to need as much of my strength as I can get for the upcoming ordeal. Maybe once the ship lands, there will be an opportunity to escape and go on the run.
Yeah, right, who are you trying to kid?
We’re headed to a space station that’s hosting an illegal auction. It’s not like there would be anyone that might help us there, but maybe, just maybe, I can use the distraction of the auction to escape and find somewhere to hide until it’s over. I’m trying my best to hold tight to any shred of hope I can manage. So far, it’s been difficult, but I’m aware it’s the only thing keeping me from dissolving into despair like Emily.
